Arbolino decimates Moto2 field in difficult conditions at Phillip Island

MotoGP 2023

Round 16 – Australia Grand Prix

Moto2 Race Report

The Moto2 sighting lap claimed two victims, including championship leader Pedro Acosta!  The Spaniard went down exiting turn four after the rear spun up on him, he already had a warning out of Southern Loop but he obviously didn’t heed that enough. He was desperate to get the machine running again with the assistance of flag marshals. But push starts were difficult as the rear would just lock up when he let the clutch out. The Spaniard would have to start from the back of the grid after eventually being retrieved.

The grip levels were much reduced compared to the Moto2 warm-up session early this morning. And of course the 765 cc triple-cylinder Triumphs make more than double the power of the Moto3 machines, who had already struggled for grip but managed to run full race distance. The rear tyres of the Moto2 machines were also struggling to maintain grip off the throttle on tip in, far from ideal…

When the race got underway early victims of the conditions on the opening laps included Lopez, Binder, Van den Goorbergh and Baltus.

Seemingly untroubled though was Sergio Garcia, the Pons Wegow Los40 rider streaking away to an early lead over Tony Arbolinio, Salac, Lowes and Dixon.

A lap after writing that Garcia went down by himself! The race leader down and out. Sam Lowes followed suit shortly after, followed by fellow Briton Jake Dixon…

Meanwhile Tony Arbolino inherited the lead ahead of Aldeguer while Canet moved up to third and after starting from the back of the grid, Pedro Acosta was in tenth place with 18 laps to run.

Arbolino was lapping 2.5-seconds quicker than his pursuers, a 1m46.638 on lap five while his pursuers were in the 49s and slower. In no time the Elf Marc VDS Racing Team rider led by more than 12-seconds with 17 laps still to run! Two laps later his lead was 15-seconds.

Officials then brought out the red flag to halt the race. Two-thirds race distance had not been completed. Officials were hoping for better conditions to re-run the race over a short six-lap distance. It was not to be though, the race was declared and half-points awarded.

Arbolino was cold but entertaining when interviewed in parc ferme, laughing that in these conditions it should have been double points…

Acosta was awarded 3.5-points for ninth place and will take a 56-point lead over Arbolino to Thailand with four rounds of the championship still to be run.

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Moto2 Race Results

Moto2 Championship Points